Andi's First Day of Kindergarten

We have been preparing Andrea for kindergarten for months, maybe even years. In the days leading up to the first day Mike and I worried though about how she would do, if she would make friends, if she would like it, if she knew everything she needed to. We would ask her if she was excited and she would shrug her shoulders and say "yeah", similar to the way she says it when we ask her if she wants a sandwich for lunch. No excitement, but no apprehension. If we asked if she was nervous she would say "no" in the same nonchalant voice. But being the mom I just new she would be nervous, after all I was on my first day of school...

Now I need to give a little background. I work so for the last six months we had been working on finding a place for Andi to go to daycare after school. We did find one only a couple of blocks from our house that a bus would hopefully pick her up from. It was important she have a bus because I work on the other side of town. Anyway at registration I found out that bus schedules don't come out until the week before school. I spent the next four months worrying about wether she would have a bus or if I would have to beg neighbors to take her to and from school. The week came and I finally got to see the bus routes, and thankfully there was a stop a block away from her daycare. Well, three days before school started I found out the bus was only for morning kindergarteners and Andrea was in afternoon. Suddenly in freak-out mode I called the school to see if she could switch to morning, which they said they didn't know if there were openings but that I should talk to the teacher the next day. Two days before school I went to her teacher and begged to let her switch (almost in tears), which thankfully she did. Needless to say the bus situation had me on edge, but Andrea was just excited to ride a bus.

Welcome to the first day of school. We woke up early to make sure we didn't miss the bus. I even checked online again to make sure I had the right information for the stop. Of course we took a picture on the front porch. With plenty of time to spare we made our way to the bus stop. When I pulled up, no one was there so suddenly I was panicing again. After a while though other kids started to show up, I was just WAY to early. I also realized then though that I had forgotten my camera, so again I was upset. Well Andrea marched up to the bus line, then walked to the bus and got on just like a pro. The video is actually of the second day but it was basically the same.





Andrea did great! I was so proud of her, and I didn't even cry (well at least at that point).

Three hours later I knew it was time to get ready to pick her up from the bus stop since she wasn't actually going to daycare yet. Again I got online to check the time and I went plenty early to make sure I didn't miss it. If I couldn't get video of her getting on, I most certainly wanted it of her comming off the bus. Anyway, I drove to the stop with Kyle and waited...and waited...and waited... After waiting 45 minutes I realized something must be wrong. I didn't know what to do so I started driving around to see if I could find the bus. As I did I passed a mom that had been at the stop that morning. She said the kindergarten bus had already dropped off the kindergarteners and that Andrea could still be on the bus. Full PANIC!!! What, my 5 year old could be wandering the streets not knowing where she is, and crying because her mom was not there for her on the first day of school. Again not knowing what to do, and myself and Kyle in tears I started driving around looking for her. Then the thought came to go to the school (really I don't know why I didn't just do that in the first place.) I sped to the school in hopes she would be standing on the sidewalk waiting, but she was not there. There was however, another bus. I walked up to the driver and asked her if she knew where the kindergarten bus was and I explained the situation. She said "Oh, you are the mom we are all looking for. Your daughter is on the bus that is parked in front of your house." That driver called the driver of the other bus and they brought her back to the school. I took a deep breath and put on a brave face for her. I just knew she would be distraught and in tears, and would probably never forgive me. They pulled up and opened the doors and she bounced down the stairs saying "Hey mom" as she passed like nothing had happened. I barely got a half a hug before she went to say Hi to Kyle. The bus driver explained that they only drop Kindergarteners off at a few stops in the afternoon. The stop I dropped her off at in the morning was not a dropoff in the afternoon. She also said that Andi was and angel for the whole ride. I thanked the bus driver, drove home with Andi and Kyle, then went to my bedroom and burst into tears...I guess I was the one that should have prepared for the first day of school!